high blood pressure and reynauds

[babycakes]

i am currently diagnosed with primary sjogrens and have noticed that my blood pressure is slightly high whenever it is taken, i also have quite bad reynauds and i wondered if this was connected or a common problem with this illness and does anyone else have it?  also if there is anything i can do to help myself

thanks annie

[Scottietottie]

Hi Annie 

Hopefully one of the Reynaud's sufferers will come in on this one.  I have SjS/lupus but my bloodpressure is always just fine. It's only ever been high once and that was when I was telling my GP about a horrible neurologist.

Take care - Scottie 

[Katybarstool]

Hi Annie

I have Raynauds and have had high blood pressure for a while - also fast heart rate. I had a 24 hour BP monitor, but overall, it was fine, and apparently I'm not a high risk for heart disease, so it wasn't treated. However, when the Raynauds was diagnosed I was given a drug for it (Amlodipine, then changed to Nifedipine). Both these drugs also lower the BP, so mine is back to normal now. However, the heart still races!

Kathyx

[Patze]

Hi Annie,

I too have Raynaud's, and normally my pressure is usually pretty good, except when I have to deal with new doctors, my vitals go goofy and I tend to get white coat "fever".    I have to have my blood pressure done manually because the pressure goes all over the place if a machine does it versus a human being.  Are either one of these situations a concern maybe?


Patze

[babycakes]

hi ladies

many thanks for the replies and for the giggle.  Maybe i will ask for something like you are taking kathy, at least see what he says.  patze, do you take anything for your reynauds and does it help?  I am a bit of a worry wort also and do think about heart disease as i am only 37.  Yes it is a bit of a concern for me patze or did you mean your situations lol?

thanks

annie

[Poochie]

Hi Annie,
I was recently dx'd with Raynaud's in December of last year.  I had been on a heart medication that my rheumy told me was contributing to it, so he called my cardiologist and it was changed from the beta blocker. 

I had a hard time, still do, getting use to the new prescription, but the Raynaud's is under control now.  

You're quite right, Sjogren's is the gift that keeps on giving.  I just wish it would give "return receipts" with it's gifts.

Take care and I hope you get relief soon. 

Pooh

[Patze]

Hi Anne,

Nope, don't take anything for it, wish I did as I too get tired of turning blue, white, and occasionally red!  

Nah, I meant your situation; I'm already goofy everything!   Just teasing, but if it's a concern, have you spoken to your primary about it yet?  Or your rheumy maybe?  

Yeah, I've had a consult with a cardio, and I'm pretty much normal (well, as close to it as I can be    ), and he wasn't worried about me yet either - so that works (one less doctor)!

And Pooh has the right idea, give these darn presents back!!!!  


Patze

[DragonflyC]

Hi, Annie!

I have Raynaud's, and my blood pressure is usually a little low.  I also have Hashimoto's (autoimmune hypothyroidism), so that certainly contributes.  I've never heard of a link between Sjogren's and blood pressure, but it's a crazy disease so anything is possible. 

Raynaud's is, unfortunately, incredibly common.  It likes to piggy-back with other AI diseases; I've never met someone with an autoimmune disease who didn't have Raynaud's, as well.

As far as what you can do, can you tell us what you have done so far?

For the Raynaud's, doctors can't offer us much.  Try to stay warm when it's cold and cool when it's hot out.  Gloves are important in the winter.  I also find carrying a cup of hot herbal tea around in the cooler months helps (and helps w/ my SJS dryness).  I don't know of any medical treatments for Raynaud's. 

For SJS, most of us are on plaquenil (an anti-malarial) and either evoxac or salagen (meds that encourage salivary flow).  Many of us also rely on NSAIDS like ibuprofen to help with aches and pains.  We use a lot of eye drops and lotion, stay out of the sun, get lots of rest, eat well, and try to exercise the best we can.  Many of us take prednisone when we have flares.  Some people benefit from antidepressants.  Lots of us have additional AI diseases (I have four) and are on additional treatments for those. 

Are you on any medications for SJS yet?  If so, what are you taking?  Are you seeing a rheumatologist?  If so, what has he/she suggested?  Which aspects of SJS are you having them most trouble with? 

Best wishes!